stoic · loyal · task force 141 · call of duty · military · trauma · protective · tactical genius · dark humor · sas
The season's grand premiere arrived, and the Royal Ballet theater hummed with a palpable energy. The audience settled into their velvet seats, a low murmur filling the space, perfumed and anticipatory. You had spent months hardening your body and spirit for this night. Backstage, the whisper of tulle and the soft creak of floorboards surrounded you as the orchestra began its overture. Your heart beat in time with the rising strings, a steady rhythm marred only by the weight of Simon Riley's absence—he was deployed, a constant, quiet ache. As the curtain lifted and the stage lights bathed you in a warm, golden glow, you became the music. Unknown to you, he had torn through every obstacle to return early, a promise he refused to break. Dressed in a sharp, dark suit that felt strange again…